


Staying On My Mind

by lovethatwewerein



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26027251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovethatwewerein/pseuds/lovethatwewerein
Summary: He’d always preferred his mother’s side of the family. Her parents were much more comfortable with his sexuality, her brother spoiled him rotten, her sister was the first person to buy him condoms at fourteen. He never said they were the best role models - he just liked them more.His father’s family was too conservative, too unwelcoming. Except his older sister. June was the type of relative he wanted to be.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Sebastian Smythe
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	Staying On My Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from "I Might" by Tom Grennan
> 
> Based on [This Post](https://permanentlytired13.tumblr.com/post/626905036977537024/just-me-that-thinks-that-june-dolloway-blaines)

He’d always preferred his mother’s side of the family. Her parents were much more comfortable with his sexuality, her brother spoiled him rotten, her sister was the first person to buy him condoms at fourteen. He never said they were the best role models - he just liked them more.

His father’s family was too conservative, too unwelcoming. Except his older sister. June was the type of relative he wanted to be. The rich one with no problem disappearing for months without a word and then bringing home a young ingenue to introduce to the creme de la creme of society. Not to mention, she was insanely cool.

It wasn’t often he got to see her. His father hated New York with a passion, hated her love of the arts and how liberal she had always been. He could accept Sebastian, could accept that he’d never have a biological grandchild. He couldn’t accept the arts as a career. So, when June sent him an invitation for a showcase set to take place, he decided immediately that he was going to fly out to see her.

She didn’t pick him up from the airport, being far too busy with whatever hopeful youth had caught her fancy, but promised him dinner later that evening. Which was how he found himself in a restaurant opposite her, listening to her stories of the last few months over a delicious meal.

“He’s awfully talented,” she said, placing her glass of wine back down. He really wished he could indulge as well. “For an Ohio boy, at least.”

“Ohio?”

“Westerville, I think,” she confirmed, calling the waiter over to order dessert. “Or maybe it was Lima. His boyfriend is definitely from Lima.”

“What’s his name?”

“Blaine Anderson.”

He choked on his water, hastily dabbing at his shirt with a napkin. June raised an eyebrow at him, waiting until he calmed down before saying anything. “You know him?”

He let out a deep breath, focusing his gaze on the table. “That’s an understatement.”

“What aren’t you telling me, Sebastian?”

He paused, searching for the right words to explain exactly what he and Blaine had been. Friends. Enemies. Unrequited lovers. He wasn’t sure there were any words to truly do what they had justice. “I sent him to the hospital once. Junior year.”

Glancing up at her, he was surprised to find her gaze locked on him. He’d never assumed she saw him as a paragon of truth, of light. He was her favourite nephew, that much everyone knew, but he hadn’t wanted her to see him as the villain. He admired her far too much for that.

“We were in rival glee clubs,” he starts, reminiscing on that year. On the highs and lows and the bitter resentment that had crawled through him whenever anyone mentioned Kurt. “It was a prank that got out of hand. I was supposed to hit his boyfriend with a slushie, with rock salt in, to ruin his clothes. But Blaine had to go and be the hero.”

“And?”

“And it ended up in his eye and he had to have surgery,” he shrugged, wishing the waiter would just arrive with their dessert already. Anything to stop the conversation for a little while. “I almost blinded him because I was jealous of his boyfriend.”

“So, you made a mistake,” June said, tapping his chin up so he could meet her gaze properly. There wasn’t disappointment there. Sadness, yes, but no disappointment. It relieved him more than he could ever justify. “We all make them, Sebastian. It doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“Speaking from experience, are you?” he asked when the waiter finally placed their food down.

She laughed, taking a bite of her tiramisu. “Let’s just say I’ve burnt a lot of bridges in my life and leave it at that.”

They did. They enjoyed the rest of their meal without hinting at the emotional moment they’d shared. They didn’t bring up the regrets they’d already mentioned, didn’t continue to lower the tone. And he supposed that was a large part of why he loved her, sometimes more than he loved his own father. She understood him.

Possibly better than anyone ever would.

*

He’d made the most of his day before Blaine’s showcase, taking a walk around the city and eating out. He’d promised himself that he wouldn’t do any work this weekend, that he’d take a well deserved break before returning to school, but that was easier said than done.

So he did what he did best - spent his father’s money for no reason besides being able to. He’d packed a suit for the evening, a basic black suit jacket and pants with a white dress shirt, and he didn’t particularly need a new one. But that was before he knew who he was going to see. Before he knew that he was going to see Blaine, see Kurt. And, if he’d learnt anything from June, it was that there was no problem flaunting on occasion.

The grey tuxedo jacket sat comfortably on his shoulders, a perfect fit. He’d always looked good in grey, his family had always insisted he wear the colour whenever there was a formal occasion, and who was he to show up at Blaine’s showcase not looking his best. It would be a travesty, really.

June meets him outside roughly an hour before the show is supposed to start, brushing her hand across his shoulder and complimenting him on the colour. He’d known it was a good choice. “Blaine’s set to be here in about fifteen minutes. His friends aren’t allowed in until we let everyone else in as well, including Kurt.”

“How come you aren’t letting Hummel in beforehand?”

Her eyes twinkle and he’s instantly on edge. “They don’t know that I’m aware of the actual nature of their relationship,” she hands him a glass of wine with a wink. This is why she’s his favourite. “And I’d really rather avoid him blowing up when he sees you. I’ve worked hard on this showcase.”

“So this is much more for your benefit than Blaine’s?”

“Obviously, Sebastian,” she rolls her eyes, frowning slightly at him. “Anyone would think you’ve only just met me.”

She leaves him at the table they’d been sat at, talking quickly to the caterer in hushed tones. The space really is beautiful, circular tables set out so everyone has a good view of the sage, a fancy piano that he’s sure cost more than his tuition for the term, a dozen or so people in uniform hurrying about, putting the finishing touches on the area.

Not for the first time he considers dropping out of school to work with June.

The door opens slowly, Blaine walking into the room and heaving a deep breath. He’s performed in venues bigger than this, Sebastian knows that, but this is the one percent. Tonight could make or break his career and that’s probably a lot of pressure to carry.

He can pinpoint the moment Blaine spots him, the slight dropping of his jaw and widening of his eyes. But then it’s gone, replaced with a glare and tense jaw, as June approaches him.

“Sebastian,” June calls him over to where they are and he takes the chance to drain the last of the wine from his glass. It barely settles the stirring in his stomach. “Blaine, you know my nephew already, I believe.”

“We’ve met,” Blaine nods, making the understatement of the century. “It’s good to see you again, Sebastian.”

He doesn’t offer his hand for a handshake and, though he hadn’t really expected him to, it still stings. “You too. How’s…” he grits his teeth, pushing the name out even though he really doesn’t want to. “Kurt?”

Blaine bites down on the inside of his cheek. “He’s okay. Still living with Rachel.”

“How is it living with Berry? Does she serenade you all with scales each morning?”

“I don’t actually live there,” Blaine says, centering his gaze on a point over Sebastian’s shoulder. “I’m living with Sam and Mercedes at the minute. It was just too much too fast.”

That’s strange. He was there for the proposal, had put together half the choreography, and it didn’t make much sense that Blaine wasn’t living with his fiance. But who was he to judge? “I don’t know who those people are. You know that, right?”

A smile twitches the corner of Blaine’s lips, one that he wants to make happen so badly. “You’ve always been unpredictable, Smythe.”

And then he’s gone, gone backstage to change into his tux for the performance and Sebastian isn’t sure what he expected but he didn’t expect to be in desperate need of a drink afterwards. Fortunately, the bar staff seems not to care that he’s underage. The power of money, he supposes.

The showcase is good, great, even. Blaine’s always been a performer, capable of playing the audience like a piano, and June has experience with all these people. She knows exactly how to get money out of them, exactly what to say to make them write checks with larger sums of money that makes sense, and it works.

He’s noticed Hummel glaring at him a few times, whispering to Berry about something or other. There’s a blond guy that keeps looking at him too from their table and, if it weren’t for the arm he had flung around one of the girl’s chairs, he would consider himself interested. It’s not like he had many options for a hook-up here.

His applause is cordial when Blaine and June finish singing No Time At All. June is saying something to Blaine, something that’s clearly not sitting well, but in the end he lowers his shoulders in defeat, nodding in compliance. It doesn’t take long for him to realise what’s happening when June takes to stage again.

“I’m sure you’ve all enjoyed the main show but, as with only the most talented of performers, you’d enjoy it even more if there were an encore,” she waits until the applause dies down and, once again, her eyes are sparkling with mischief. “Ergo, I would like to invite my nephew, Sebastian, to perform for you all with Blaine.”

He’s put on the spot and she knows it, raising a brow at him when he meets her gaze. He can’t say no, otherwise he’s embarrassed them both, but Blaine’s friends seem to be trying to set him on fire with their glares. Really, that just makes him want to do it. So he does.

They sing Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s a weird choice, one he never would’ve considered, but it works. The lyrics, their voices, the performance. They own it. Blaine takes a few moments to settle into it, to get used to the idea that he’s been made to do this, but he picks up the song when Sebastian finishes the first verse.

It appeals to the older crowd just as much as the younger one and, long before the end of the song, everyone is on their feet except Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry, both of them stewing in their seats with matching frowns. He doesn’t care and, if Blaine even notices how downtrodden they are, he doesn’t let it show.

Everything about it is invigorating. He missed it, the thrill that came from being on stage. He’d still study law, get his degree and get a job certain to pay the bills, but he wouldn’t push the arts away the way he had so far. He might even consider karaoke.

“I think that went well,” June tells him, joining him in the corner after everyone had left except the staff. “Kurt was basically going to explode.”

She’s smiling at him, a cheeky one normally reserved for when she sneaks him a drink behind his father’s back. He huffs out a laugh. “You planned that from the beginning, didn’t you?”

“What if I did?”

“He’s engaged.” He says, because what else is there to say?

She shrugs. “Not if Kurt keeps acting the way he is.”

“That’s not going to change,” he insists, swiping a leftover piece of cake from someone in passing. He couldn’t let it go to waste. “He’s been like that since I met him.”

“It’ll blow up in their faces eventually,” she shrugs, stealing a bite of his dessert. “Sooner than they think if I keep Blaine’s career on the up and up.”

“You really think Blaine doing well is going to ruin them?”

“I’ve seen marriages fall apart over less.”

He chooses to let her words drift off into the air, leaving them in New York with her and Blaine the next day. He has a degree to earn.

*

June had always been his favourite relative and everyone knew it, but too often he misjudged her. Never before had he been so glad that she loved him as much as she did.

“You were great tonight.”

Blaine smiles at him, wrapping his arms tightly around himself. There’s snow landing amongst his curls, dusting his shoulders and making his cheeks turn a light pink. He looks better like this, happier than he had three months ago during the showcase.

“You didn’t have to come and see me,” he laughs, staring at Sebastian with bright eyes. “It was just a winter concert. Nothing major.”

“Please, killer,” he says, moving to pull Blaine into a hug. He smells of raspberries and cinnamon and something Sebastian could never name. It might be happiness. It might be love. “You know my aunt would kill me if I missed this.”

Blaine nods, tucking his head into Sebastian’s shoulder. He can see June over his shoulder, giving him a quick wink and a smug smile. He probably should thank her. “She loves you.”

“And I…” he pulls back to kiss the tip of Blaine’s nose, scrunching his face up at how cold it is. “Am so very glad she invited me to your showcase.”

“So am I,” Blaine smiles, leaning up on his toes to give Sebastian a proper kiss. “Because it changed my life in so many of the best ways.”

“Sap.”

“I love you.”

He grins, rolling his eyes. “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm at love-that-we-were-in on tumblr


End file.
